Rotary brush for vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

A rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner comprises a drum  110  rotatably supported in a housing  21  of a brush assembly  20  and provided with bristles  111  on outer circumference, a bearing  120  including outer  122  and inner races  121  and having the outer race  122  press-fit in a groove  112  formed at an end of the drum  110,  and a holder  130  having one side connected with the housing  21  and another side supporting the inner race  121  for the drum  110  to be rotatably supported in the housing  21.  According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the number of parts can be reduced, thereby reducing the number of moving parts and also reducing the manufacturing costs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a rotary brush for vacuum cleaner having simplified structure.

[0003] 2. Background of the Related Art

[0004] Generally, a vacuum cleaner is an apparatus for sucking dust and contaminants off of a surface to be cleaned using high vacuum pressure generated inside the device. FIG. 1 shows an upright type vacuum cleaner as an example of a conventional vacuum cleaner.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional vacuum cleaner includes a body 10 comprising a dust-collecting chamber having a dust bag disposed inside the body 10 and seated by a cover 11, a motor driving chamber 12, in which a motor is disposed, and a brush assembly 20 having a suction port.

[0006] In the case of such an upright type vacuum cleaner, when the motor is driven and suction force is generated, dust and contaminants on the surface to be cleaned are sucked in with the external air through the suction port of the brush assembly 20 and are collected in the dust bag in the dust-collecting chamber.

[0007] Meanwhile, the brush assembly 20 has a rotary brush 30 for removing contaminants that are deeply embedded in a carpet or a floor. The rotary brush 30 is rotatably disposed in a housing 21 of the brush assembly 20 and rotated by a driving belt 22.

[0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view schematically showing a rotary brush of a conventional vacuum cleaner.

[0009] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotary brush 30 for a conventional vacuum cleaner comprises a drum 31 on which bristles 32 are spirally disposed, a bearing holder 34 press-fit in the groove 33 formed at an end of the drum 31, a bearing 36 press-fit in the bearing holder 34 while a washer 35 is interposed between the bearing 36 and the bearing holder 34, a rotary shaft 37 penetrating the drum 31 and having an end thereof connected to the bearing 36, and a drum holder 38 connected to an end of the rotary shaft 37.

[0010] The drum holder 38 is fixed to the housing 21 and a connection hole 39 is formed at the center of the drum holder 38 for the rotary shaft 37 to be inserted therein. The bearing 36 has an outer race 36 b press-fit into the bearing holder 34, and the rotary shaft 37 is press-fit within the inner race 36 a, which is rotating relative to the outer race 36 b.

[0011] Accordingly, the drum holder 38, the rotary shaft 37, and the inner race 36 a of the bearing 36 are fixed relative to the housing 21 and the outer race 36 b, the bearing holder 34 and the drum 31 rotate as a unified assembly relative to the inner race 36 a.

[0012] The drum 31 has a belt connecting portion 31 a at one side of the outer circumference. The driving belt 22 (FIG. 1), driven by a motor, is connected to the belt connecting portion 31 a.

[0013] However, such a conventional rotary brush 30 requires many parts and therefore the number of operations necessary for assembling components and manufacturing costs increase. In addition, there is strong possibility of defects caused by the complex structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] One object of the present invention is to solve the foregoing problems by providing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner having fewer number of parts, a simple structure and a reduction in the manufacturing costs and in the possibility of defects.

[0015] The foregoing and other objects and advantages are realized by providing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner comprising a drum rotatably supported in a housing of a brush assembly and provided with bristles on an outer circumference thereof, a bearing, including outer and inner races, and having the outer race press-fit in a groove formed at an open end of the drum, and a drum holder having one side connected relative to the housing and other side supporting the inner race for the drum to be rotatably supported within the housing.

[0016] In the present invention having the above structure, it is preferable that the drum holder has covering portion covering the open end of the drum for preventing contaminants from entering into the bearing.

[0017] In addition, it is preferable that a supporting portion press-fit in the inner race of the bearing is provided on a proximal, inwardly facing surface of the drum holder and a supplementary metallic member is inserted into the supporting portion.

[0018] Moreover, it is preferable that a fixing protrusion provided on a distal, outwardly facing surface of the holder is inserted and fixed in a receiving recess formed on the housing.

[0019] It is preferable that the drum holder comprises a cover covering an open end of the drum for preventing contaminants from entering into the bearing, and a supporting shaft having one end passing through the cover and press-fit into the receiving recess formed on the housing and another end press-fit into the inner race of the bearing.

[0020] It is preferable that a belt-connecting portion is connected with a driving belt for rotating the drum and is provided at one side of the outer circumference of the drum.

[0021] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, wherein:

[0023]FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away, perspective view showing a general upright type vacuum cleaner;

[0024]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary brush for a conventional vacuum cleaner;

[0025]FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view showing the rotary brush of FIG. 2, fully assembled;

[0026]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view showing the rotary brush of FIG. 4, fully assembled;

[0028]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0029]FIG. 7 is a detailed sectional view of the rotary brush of FIG. 6, fully assembled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] The following detailed description will present a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to the preferred embodiments of the invention in reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, a rotary brush 100 for a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a drum 110, a bearing 120, and a holder 130.

[0032] The drum 110 has bristles 111 spirally disposed on the outer circumference and a groove 112 formed at both ends. Additionally, at one side of the outer circumference of the drum 110, a belt-connecting portion 113 is formed. A driving belt 22 (FIG. 1), driven by a motor, is connected to the belt-connecting portion 113.

[0033] The bearing 120 is structured to include the inner race 121 and the outer race 122. The outer race 122 of the bearing is press-fit in the groove 112 of the drum 110. Accordingly, the drum 110 rotates around the inner race 121 together with the outer race 122.

[0034] The holder 130 has a cover portion 131 having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the end of the drum 110, a supporting portion 132 centrally disposed in the inwardly facing, proximal surface of the cover portion 131, and a fixing protrusion 133 provided on the outwardly facing, distal surface of the covering portion 131. The holder 130 enables the drum 110 to be rotatably supported in the housing 21 since the fixing protrusion 133 is press-fit into the receiving recess 23 of the housing 21 and the supporting portion 132 is press-fit into the inner race 121 of the bearing 120 disposed in the drum 110. In order words, the holder 130 and the inner race 121 of the bearing 120 are fixed relative to the housing 21 and the outer race 122 of the bearing 120 and the drum 110 rotate around the inner race 121. A metallic supplementary member 134 is preferably inserted inside the supporting portion 132 for preventing the holder 130 from being deformed by the load produced during the rotation of the drum 110.

[0035] In the present invention having the above-described structure, if a motor is driven during cleaning, the driving belt 22 (FIG. 1) connected to the belt-connecting portion 113 of the drum 110 rotates the drum 110. At this time, the outer race 122 of the bearing 120 and the drum 110 rotates around the inner race 121 of the bearing 120.

[0036] Meanwhile, since the cover portion 131 of the holder 130 covers the open end of the drum 110, contaminants rising as a result of the rotation of the drum 110 can be prevented from entering into the groove 112.

[0037]FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the present invention. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the structure of the drum 110 and the bearing 120 is essentially identical to those in the above-described preferred embodiment, except for the structure of the holder 140. In this embodiment, the holder 140 includes a cover 141 having an inserting hole 142 and a supporting shaft 143 having a protrusion 144 at one end. One end of the supporting shaft 143 is press-fit into the inner race 121 of the bearing 120 after passing through the inserting hole 142 of the cover 141 and the other end of the supporting shaft 143 is press-fit into the receiving recess 23 formed on the housing 21. Therefore, the inner race 121 of the bearing 120 and the supporting shaft 143 is fixed in the housing 21, and the drum 110 and the outer race 122 of the bearing 120 rotates around the inner race 121. The cover 141 covers the open end of the drum 100, thereby preventing contaminants from entering into the groove 112 of the drum 110 in which the bearing 120 is disposed.

[0038] According to the embodiment of the present invention set forth above, the holder fixed in the housing supports the inner race of the bearing disposed at the end of the drum, thereby providing a rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner having a reduced number of working parts and operations, and manufacturing costs are also reduced.

[0039] Moreover, the rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention has a simpler structure and therefore the possibility of defects in the moving parts may be reduced.

[0040] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in the form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0041] The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A rotary brush assembly for insertion into a housing of a vacuum cleaner comprising: a drum, rotatably supported in the housing of the brush assembly, provided with bristles along an outer circumference; a bearing, including outer and inner races, having the outer race press-fit in a groove formed at an open end of the drum; and a drum holder having one side connected to the housing and another side supporting the inner race of the drum to be rotatably supported in the housing.
 2. The rotary brush according to claim 1, wherein the drum holder further comprises a covering portion covering the end of the drum for preventing contaminants from entering into the bearing.
 3. The rotary brush according to claim 1, wherein a supporting portion press-fit in the inner race of the bearing is provided on inwardly facing, proximal surface of the holder.
 4. The rotary brush according to claim 3, wherein a supplementary metallic member is inserted into the supporting portion.
 5. The rotary brush according to claim 1, wherein a fixing protrusion provided on a distal, outwardly facing surface of the holder is inserted and fixed in a receiving recess formed in the housing.
 6. The rotary brush according to claim 1, wherein the holder comprises: a cover covering an open end of the drum for preventing contaminants from entering into the bearing; and a supporting shaft having one end passing through the cover and press-fit into the receiving recess formed on the housing and another end press-fit into the inner race of the bearing.
 7. The rotary brush for a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a belt connecting portion connected with a driving belt for rotating the drum is provided at one side of the outer circumference of the drum. 